


here you are

by kintou



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M, Oneshot, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26637700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kintou/pseuds/kintou
Summary: When Sasuke hears that Naruto, his roommate from college, is looking for a place to stay he decides to help the other with apartment hunting. Luckily it doesn't take them long to figure out that the best place for Naruto is next to Sasuke.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 27
Kudos: 180





	here you are

**Author's Note:**

> Wew! I finished this. I really struggled with this story. I almost didn't want to post it. I think it turned out alright, but my opinion on it changed every single day. I hope you guys will enjoy it, though (: 
> 
> The idea/commission for this fic was sent to me by Ghostiecat, so thank you for that!! 
> 
> Again: I have playlists playlists for [Naruto](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nUail8Ps030et4qEqKfVW?si=mbkxQP7mSWCs8sEHngi1HA) and [Sasuke](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7FQzcKRQw8zgnS8N9ynRgh?si=wmhvkQ-9SAGJPsCY5OcWxQ) in modern au's <3 
> 
> Enjoy!

He’d just placed his food, still wrapped in a paper take-away bag, on the kitchen counter when his phone rang. An unknown number. He stared at the black screen, the green button underneath it. For a second he played with the idea of not picking it up. He’d been working all day and he definitely didn’t feel like answering another tiresome business call. He’d been trying to separate work from his life at home. He’d been failing pretty badly. 

He sighed. It was hard to separate home and work when home was just another– well, big building. He almost didn’t know why he was still going home. 

Getting over himself, he picked up his phone and held it to his ear. “Sasuke Uchiha.” 

“Sasuke! Good you still have the same number.” That voice surprised him. Was that– ”Sorry, this is Sakura from college. I sure hope you remember.” 

He sat down at his kitchen island. From college, that was– it felt so long ago now. Four years. Four years that had felt like a lifetime. “Of course.” 

“Do you have time right now?” 

He stared at the bag of food in front of him. “A bit. I was about to eat.” 

Sakura hummed along with him. “I just wanted to ask if Naruto called you.” 

“Naruto?”  _ Naruto. _ The only person from college he couldn’t fucking get out of his head. Naruto who had seemed to be the only one he had needed once, who had sworn during multiple panic attacks that he’d never leave, who he’d drifted away from like they were normal college buddies who had to grow up. Naruto who’d left a gaping hole in his life, one he never dared to look into. 

Sakura chuckled. “Yes,  _ Naruto _ . You know, your best friend, hyperactive–” 

“I know. I know, why would he call?” 

“He really hasn’t talked to you, has he?” 

“No.” 

“He said he had.” She sounded so stern about it too. 

He felt panicked about it. “Why?” 

“He’s being so fucking stuborn. I don’t get him,” Sakura complained. “He got a job offer in your city, and he’s been having a really hard time looking for a place to live. He got rejected by three places already, for whatever reason, and he starts in less than a week.” 

“He got a job offer?” Or, why the hell would they reject someone that bright? Or, what the hell did  _ he _ have to do with any of that? Or, shit, shit, shit, Naruto was coming to live near him. 

He’d lose his beating heart over walking into Naruto on the streets; that was for sure. 

“Yeah, he took it already.” She sounded proud. “Just… I know he’s being really stubborn, but can’t you help him? I’m sure you and Itachi know some people or places. You can tell Naruto I asked you, I don’t fucking care.” 

He was sure she didn’t. She hadn’t changed a bit. “I– I don’t know.” 

“Sasuke..” He stared at his bag of food, fidgeted. “I don’t know if you two had a bad fight, or whatever.” No… a fight would have been so much better. “But he really needs the help. I think it’ll be good for the both of you. You two used to be so–  _ you know.” _

He did know. 

Naruto and he had been everything.

It had been something that had other people feeling insecure about their own relationships. They’d matched and they’d moved like they were one. They’d been intense and explosive and then– after rooming together for a while, they’d even been soft. 

“I’ll think about it.” 

Sakura sighed. “Just text him okay? You two can be so– whatever– enjoy your meal.” 

He hummed. “Thanks.” 

“See you, Sasuke.” 

“Bye.” 

He left that bag of food right where it was. Sakura’s call had surprised him, to say the least. She wasn’t the kind of person to just go calling other’s for the heck of it. She’d been, at the end of their college years, a bit distant to him too. He had been sure that she’d realized that he was in love with Naruto, something that he’d been realizing himself too. He didn’t blame her for being distant; never had. He knew that Naruto had been willing to give up everything for him and he’d pushed that away. 

He never fucking wanted Naruto to give up everything for him. 

He hadn’t wanted a painful friendship in which he’d always had to hide his feelings– that’s what he’d thought, at least. Now he realized how awfully wrong he’d been. He’d take a friendship in which he’d had to hide his feelings over whatever he had now, any day. 

He’d take friendship with Naruto over every short relationship he’d had, every good fuck. 

He let himself fall down on the couch and stared at his phone for what seemed like an hour. 

This whole thing was giving him a headache.

_ Naruto was coming to his city. _

The thought alone made him dizzy. 

The idea of having a coffee with Naruto. 

He wondered if they’d be explosive like they’d always been. A small voice in his mind reminded him that all their chemistry could have disappeared. That voice reminded him of how boring he’d become, how cold his life was now. 

But Naruto would be Naruto– he couldn’t possibly disappoint him. 

Finally he got out of his phone to text Itachi. “ _ Hey, do you know apartments that are for rent? Preferably in the old city centre.’  _ Naruto would love it there, he was sure. His apartment was almost against the old city, having a beautiful view over it. 

Itachi texted back swiftly. ‘ _ I’ll look into it. Is there a problem with your apartment?’  _

He thought about that. There really wasn’t any. He liked his apartment a lot. It was big, light, industrial and the view was beautiful. If he’d see his own apartment in a magazine he’d probably linger, thinking about how beautiful it was. 

He wondered if the apartment would ever feel like he lived there. If he’d ever fill up his empty rooms. If the house would ever smell like more than.. soap and take-away. 

‘ _ No,’  _ he texted Itachi. _ ‘It’s for a friend.’  _

*

He met up with Naruto in a small coffee shop near his work. Itachi made a point out of him dressing up, though he hadn’t really noticed himself. He just– he wanted Naruto to see that he was doing well. Itachi could fuck right off. 

He hadn’t exactly told Naruto he’d actually planned to go check an apartment out  _ right after.  _ He had an appointment around eight, at a beautiful apartment Itachi had picked out. Sasuke hadn’t found anything to be wrong with it. When Sasuke had texted Naruto, saying he wanted to help him find an apartment, Naruto had been excited as hell. They’d called once and that old feeling was right back. Naruto made him feel excited, light. Naruto had talked about this new job as if he was talking about a dream. Apparently he was going to curate and program events at the museum, which fit him just perfectly. Sasuke, in his turn, was proud of himself when he’d found an apartment near the museum. 

When he walked into the coffee shop Naruto was already sitting at the table near the window and–  _ holyfuckingshit. _

He looked so good. 

Sasuke’s college crush on Naruto got swept away within a second. 

Only to be replaced by this… this gorgeous man.  _ Fuck.  _

Naruto was wearing a dark blue knitted sweater, and a small stroke of his orange shirt was to be seen underneath it. He was scrolling through his phone, smiling at whatever. 

Sasuke, in his entire life, had never been so glad someone had stayed  _ the same.  _ Even though Naruto looked grown, gorgeous, calmer. He was so– so familiar. 

He’d never realized how much he’d missed Naruto until that second.    
Finally he looked into the hole that Naruto had left in his life, and it was a bottomless one. It was an aching fucking gap. So he– he walked towards Naruto’s table while holding his breath. He could feel his fingers tingle. 

How the hell could they have grown apart when even the sight of Naruto felt so  _ right? _

“Naruto?” 

Naruto looked up, excitedly, and then he stared. He stared like Sasuke had been staring at him. And then he grinned. That grin hadn’t changed one bit. It was breathtaking. “Sasuke!” 

“I– yeah.”  _ Shit.  _

“How have you been?” Naruto pulled him into a hug, unsurprisingly, and then sat down again. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen you for so long.” 

He sat down slowly. “I’m alright. I work just around the corner.” 

Naruto grinned, started asking him questions, started telling him about himself. Naruto was nervous too, Sasuke could tell. He was talking like he wanted to fill every silence. Sasuke was glad he did, because his body was turning into a nervous mess. He answered Naruto’s questions and felt good when Naruto told more about himself. He was still hanging around with their college friends, he felt nervous about moving. 

Sasuke stared at the man who’d once been his everything. He wanted to take in every little bit of Naruto’s look, every single word Naruto said. He wanted to get to know who this man had become. “–But that’s probably boring to you.” Naruto mumbled, after a random story about Shikamaru and Choji and whoever and Sasuke just– 

“No.. go on.” 

Halfway through the conversation, Sasuke dropped that he’d managed to get Naruto an appointment to see an apartment. Naruto seemed like he was holding himself back from jumping Sasuke. Sasuke chuckled. It felt  _ good  _ to make Naruto feel good. 

They walked towards the apartment building next to each other, shoulders bumping. Sasuke wondered what the landowner would make of them. Did they look like best friends again? Like a couple? The idea made Sasuke feel lightheaded. He was just here because Naruto didn’t know his way around, but he felt so powerful next to Naruto. 

When the apartment building came into sight, Naruto whistled in appreciation. He looked up at the apartment building, amazing. “How the hell did you find a place like this?” 

Sasuke smirked. “Itachi has his ways.” 

“I’m sure he does.” 

They walked to the second highest floor. Naruto looked into every hallway excitedly. The building wasn’t as spacious and light as Sasuke’s apartment building, but it was built in the same style, which was definitely nice. “I  _ really  _ like this type of building.” Naruto mumbled. 

Sasuke led Naruto towards the apartment they were supposed to be meeting the owner in front of. 

The owner looked up with her best business smile when she saw the two of them walking her way. “Mister Uchiha,” she greeted. “And?” 

“Uzumaki, Naruto Uzumaki.” Naruto said nervously. 

Sasuke peeked into the apartment as the landlady introduced herself. Naruto was already chatting with her. Sasuke found himself appreciating what he could see– the apartment looked exactly like the pictures. Light. Industrial. Old. Warm. It was perfect for Naruto. 

“Now then, let’s go inside.” Naruto and he followed the lady inside. Right away, Naruto’s eyes went wide. The living room was an open space, a big kitchen on the right. There were big industrial lamps hanging from the high ceiling. “Feel free to walk around.” 

Naruto nodded, stared at every single corner of the room. Sasuke felt pride well up in his chest. He knew Naruto’s taste, he knew what the other liked. This apartment felt warm, with Naruto in it. He was sure any place would. 

Naruto walked towards one of the big windows. Sasuke followed him silently. 

As soon as they were away from the landlady, who was tapping away on her phone now, Naruto turned to him with a worried look on his face. “Sasuke– this, are you sure this is in my price range?” 

Sasuke stared at him.  _ Price range.  _ He hadn’t even fucking thought about that. 

He’d been so stupid. Itachi had searched for apartments affordable for people like them. How the hell could he have been so simple minded? Naruto was starting his  _ first  _ bigger job. He had no parents to fall back on and no family company to run. 

“It’s really beautiful but–” Naruto sounded panicked. “Like really, really nice– there must be something they’re not telling us, right? This place can’t be–” Naruto was whispering. 

“I’m sorry.” He looked away. 

He’d fucked this up. “What?” 

“I– I forgot that– it’s probably too expensive.” 

Naruto stared at him for a while. Then he laughed. “You’re so, you.” 

Sasuke stared right back at him. “Are you not angry? I could– help you pay for the first few months or–” 

Naruto laughed. “No way, asshole.” 

Sasuke couldn’t help but smile a little. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, rich boy.” 

“Shut up–” 

Naruto walked towards the landlady with a smile on his face. Sasuke followed him, feeling numb. Was he going to tell her– “We’re ready to see the rest!” 

Sasuke felt stupid. Stupid and tired and Naruto kept laughing at him. And he felt so glad that Naruto was still laughing. He was so glad that Naruto was still next to him. 

“No but really, I’m kind of glad that I got to see that apartment. I really liked the architecture and I might need to set new goals now.” They were walking down a street full of cafe’s. People around them were laughing and there was music playing from every corner. 

Sasuke laughed lightly. “That apartment was nothing, you should see mine.” 

“Sure.”

“Hm?” 

“Let’s go to your house.” 

“Oh.” He stared at Naruto’s bright eyes. Those eyes did things to him. He felt stupid in so many ways, but mainly like he was a love struck teenager. He had to repeat, over and over again, that he was getting back that friendship. He was here to get back his best friend. “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.” 

If Naruto had been amazed by that other apartment, he was dumbstruck by Sasuke’s. He stopped right in the door opening, dramatically threw his bag on the floor, and raised his hands. “That’s it, I give up. You won the apartment game.” 

Sasuke chuckled. “Shut up.”

“Let me guess, you have red wine and an expensive art piece too.” 

Sasuke shrugged. “I have beer, if you’d like. That art piece I might need some help with.” 

Naruto grinned and picked up his bag. “Sure. And I know an expert.” 

Sasuke stared at his best friend. “Hm, yeah, what does he think?” 

“That you need to sell this apartment for like, a hundred dollars to someone in need.” 

Sasuke laughed. “Really now?” 

“No, definitely not.” 

Sasuke walked to his kitchen, got out two glasses and popped open a beer bottle for each. Naruto walked through his living room, then he stood still in front of the window and looked over the city. All the lights that showed them that the city was alive. 

Sasuke walked towards Naruto, handing over a glass of beer. 

He felt nervous again. 

“Y’know, it’s still quite empty in here.” 

Sasuke shifted awkwardly. “I might move sometime.” 

Naruto stared at him as if he was crazy. “Why?” 

“It’s big.”  _ It’s lonely,  _ he wanted to say. It feels lonelier because it’s so big. It feels lonelier because it’s so spacious and beautiful, because it could be so much more.

Naruto nodded, scratching his neck absentmindedly. “I get that.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Hm, yeah, I had that same feeling when I got my studio at home. I was so used to rooming with you in college and I just–” 

_ That’s it.  _ Sasuke held up a hand, stopping Naruto. “Yes!” He sounded so excited. 

He hadn’t heard himself sound excited in so long.

This was also the stupidest idea that he’d had in forever. 

Whatever. 

He deserved to be stupid.  _ Something  _ had to change. 

“Move in with me.” 

Naruto gave him a dumb look. “What?” 

Sasuke sipped his beer, just to calm himself. He had a hard time swallowing quick enough. “I have a spare room. Would you like to rent it from me? You don’t even have to rent it at first– I don’t care much.” 

Naruto stared at him, though some excitement was definitely to be seen in those eyes. “I’ll annoy you.” 

“Yes, definitely.” Sasuke couldn’t keep his eyes off his blond friend. “Remember how much you annoyed me when we roomed together?” They’d fought, all the time. They’d punched each other’s brains in and then– they’d cried together at midnight, they’d shared their everything, they  _ worked together.  _ They would still work together. 

As long as Sasuke could push back his whole ‘ _ in love’  _ feeling, they’d be fine. Sasuke could do anything, if it meant having Naruto next to him again. 

Naruto laughed. “You annoyed me too.” 

“We know we work as roommates. We used to live in one room, this is nothing compared to that.” 

Naruto bit his lip. 

“It can be temporary, while you search for a new place. You can help me get some art in the house while you’re at it.” 

“I am good at that.” 

Sasuke smiled. “I know you are. I never once doubted you.” 

Everyone else had. “And here I am,” Naruto said. Here he was; having a job at a fucking  _ museum,  _ like Sasuke had believe he could. Back together with him, like they had felt they would. 

“Here you are.” 

*

Naruto had a lot of shit. The room Sasuke gave him was as big as the studio Naruto had in his hometown, but it was full in no time. Sasuke decided on working from home that day, so he could help Naruto move. Before Naruto had parked his bus in front of the apartment building, he felt fidgety. He was really about to move in with the guy who’d been his first love. With his best friend, if Naruto wanted to be just that again. 

The first thing Naruto brought upstairs were paintings. Sasuke stared as Naruto opened the door with his own key, then walked into the room with paintings underneath his arms. He’d seen Naruto draw in college, but he hadn’t seen Naruto’s work from after he started his art academy. It was beautiful.

“Hey!” Naruto said cheerfully. So bright. Naruto walked towards his own room. Called out: “I got a lot of stuff downstairs.” 

Sasuke closed his laptop. Naruto walked back in, an excited grin on his face. When Naruto walked back to the door, he followed without a word. 

“Aren’t you busy?” 

Sasuke shrugged. “I’ll help.” 

They followed each other into the elevator, nervous, careful, happy. “Let’s do the bed first, then we can place the rest around that.”

Sasuke slowly nodded.

Naruto moved from one foot to another. “This is kind of weird.” 

Sasuke stared at him, then looked back at the elevator light. Seven, six, five. “Why?” 

Naruto shrugged. “I hadn’t expected us to grow apart in the first place.” 

He hadn’t either. He had really, really thought that they’d have forever. Not that he hadn’t felt grateful to get a break from the intense feeling Naruto brought him. “Me neither.” 

“Do you think things can be the same again?” 

Two. One. He knew his romantic feelings for Naruto wouldn’t just fade that easily. He’d sure as hell try his best to ignore them, though. “Yeah.” The elevator door opened. 

With a hallway full of stuff, Naruto and him sat down on the floor in Naruto’s room. They’d gotten out a bluetooth speaker, and now they were discussing how the bed had to be put together. “I’ve done it this way before,” Naruto said. 

“Then you did it the hard way,” Sasuke argued. 

They ended up doing what Sasuke wanted. Naruto held one side of the bed, while Sasuke tried to hammer another piece onto it. “Why the hell do you have such a shit bed anyway?” He said while another piece of the bed fell to the ground again. 

Naruto laughed. “It was a collective present from all my friends, I’m sentimental.” 

“Idiot.” He knew Naruto was. He loved Naruto like that. 

The bed started becoming something that actually looked like a bed faster than he’d expected it to. With time, it stood steady on his wooden floor. Naruto raised his arms and cheered, he laughed softly. Then, they placed the mattress on it together. Naruto let himself fall onto the mattress right away, stretching. “Time for a nap!” 

Sasuke chuckled, sat down next to his friend. He’d never seen this room so alive, even though it was still empty. Naruto, from his lying position, opened his eyes and stared up at him. “Sasuke…” 

“Hm?” 

“Thank you.” 

“It’s nothing.” 

“Not just for the room.” With that, as if he was running, Naruto stood up. Sasuke didn’t know what else Naruto could thank him for. He couldn’t help but feel afraid of the answer. He followed Naruto into the hallway, watched as he pulled the cardboard boxes into the room.

They ate together in the living room that evening. Sasuke ordered ramen and Naruto looked like he was living the dream. During dinner they talked about everything and nothing. Naruto talked about the school he’d finished, about new people he’d met, about their old friends. Sasuke realized that he didn’t have as much to talk about as Naruto had, but he did tell him about the new friends he made. “Sometimes they’re so stupid that they remind me of college again.” Naruto had laughed at that. They had been stupid. It had taken Sasuke quite a while to get used to that behaviour, to Naruto’s friends. Sasuke had always been thought to be collected, Naruto had rushed into his life to get rid of it. He was doing it again, now. He was making Sasuke laugh more than he’d done in years. 

After dinner, Naruto finished unpacking while Sasuke worked. The other walked in with big plants in his hands, asking if Sasuke would mind if he put them in the living room. Within an hour, their shared space seemed like it was being lived in. Sasuke couldn’t mind the plants Naruto brought in, and he definitely didn’t mind Naruto barging in while humming another song. 

They sat together on Naruto’s floor. Naruto had put on some soft lofi music and he had his arms wrapped around his cup of tea. Naruto’s new wall was now full of art and memories. Naruto had kept all the small notes, all the cards and presents Sasuke had once given him. It wasn’t much, but Naruto had seen them for what they were; important. 

The blonde kept on smiling and cracking jokes, his cheeks were a little red from the warmth the room held. 

“Are you nervous for tomorrow?” Sasuke asked him.

Naruto shrugged. “I know I can do it.” He leaned against the bed frame. “But I kind of am.” 

“Y’know, I was too.” 

Naruto glanced at him lovingly, wanting him to go on. 

“Which was stupid. But I thought that maybe everyone would realize that I was the fuck up of the family. Or maybe that I’d realize that all I had learned was completely useless.” 

“Yeah, exactly.” 

“You’re going to do great.” 

Naruto brought his cup to his mouth, blew onto his tea slowly. Then he softly asked: “How do you know that?” 

“I know you.” 

At that, Naruto grinned up at him. It was a soft sight. “I’m so glad you’re here with me, for this.” 

Sasuke nodded. There was more to say about that, about how they shouldn’t have lost each other in the first place. About how glad he felt that Naruto was here to break his daily life, too. About how fucking empty he had felt before Sakura had called him. How maybe this was just the right moment for them. 

After that, they sat in silence for a while. They drank their tea and felt how they slowly got used to each other. They’d grown up. Their silence felt different from what it had once felt like. Maybe because he couldn’t possibly find this as normal as it had once been. Naruto was calmly sipping his tea, looking around the room with a satisfied look on his face. Sasuke doubted he’d had a soft moment like this since he’ moved away. 

He leaned against Naruto’s bed frame, turned himself to that he was even closer to the other. 

He felt warm. 

The sun was slowly rising, colouring the sky a beautiful shade of orange. He stared at it while his coffee machine dripped coffee into his mug. He was wearing his favourite sweater and soft pyjama pants. His apartment was still cold. 

When his coffee machine stopped sputtering he took out his cup from underneath it. That’s when Naruto walked into the living room. No gorgeous sunrise could have prepared him for that. Naruto still had a bedhead. He was wearing an old green hoodie, one with a drawing of two frogs who were sitting on top of each other. He glanced up at Sasuke, bags underneath his eyes, and grinned. “Good morning.” 

“Morning,” Sasuke mumbled, looking away from the soft man again. He started another cup of coffee, left his own on the kitchen island. 

Naruto watched him as he sat down. “I slept like shit.” 

“You look like it.” Sasuke placed the cup of coffee on the counter. 

“I feel good though.” He smiled lightly. “I guess I’m more nervous than I had thought. Everything will be so different from today on.” 

Sasuke shrugged, took a sip of his coffee. “Feels like his should be normal.”  _ Shit.  _ He hadn’t meant to sound so needy. 

Naruto just laughed. “I guess you're right.” He sipped his coffee, a smile on his face. “When I used to dream about my future, it would be something like this.” 

Sasuke tried not to linger on those words. Naruto saw his future as a future with  _ him  _ in it. Naruto wanted him in his life, and he’d always wanted that. 

Sasuke turned around and walked towards the fridge, just so that Naruto couldn’t see his face. He took his eggs and a tomato. “Would you like an omelette?” 

“Ugh, you’re the best! Yes!” Naruto said. 

Sasuke shrugged while placing all of his stuff on the kitchen counter. “Don’t think I’ll do this for you every day.” Though he would. He saw a future in which he made breakfast for Naruto every morning. Where they’d hold each other for a little too long, until one of them was almost late. He’d never tell Naruto that, though. Naruto knew the extent of his friendship, and he’d notice when Sasuke’s romantic feelings would get mixed into it. 

“Ha, maybe in my dreams.” Naruto said. 

*

They fell into a rhythm quicker than he’d expected to. They ate together on most days. Soon, he found himself coming home from work earlier than he’d ever done. As soon as he finished up, often around seven or eight, he’d pack up and leave. Itachi had noticed too, and he’d started giving him smug smirkes about it. Sasuke ignored his brother. 

When he got home, Naruto would often be cooking something simple. He’d gotten used to their new rhythm as well. Today, Naruto had made some soup. The pan was standing on the stove, a baguette next to it. 

“Oh, you’re home.” That was still something to get used to; to someone being here when he got home. Someone telling him goodbye and welcome back. 

He had to hold back from blabbering out  _ ‘I’ve always loved you’  _ right on the spot. 

The fact was, though, that it wouldn’t be that weird. They often sat together on the couch until midnight. They made each other breakfast when the other wanted to sleep longer and the house had started smelling like the both of them. They didn’t try to keep their living spaces separated, from day one they lived like they were living together. 

On particularly soft evenings, Naruto would lay his legs against his. He’d get closer while doing whatever he was doing, draping a blanket on top of their legs as if it was an excuse. Sasuke, even though he felt like holding his breath, wouldn’t do anything about it. He’d keep on typing away on the Macbook he had on his lap as if nothing was happening. Naruto was always doing different things. Sometimes he was gaming or looking up artists on his social media. Often, he was sketching. He’d sketch parts of their apartment or Sasuke’s face. He didn’t try to hide it either, glancing at Sasuke every once in a while, a warm smile on his face. One time, Sasuke asked to see, and Naruto had easily turned his sketchbook towards Sasuke. “It’s not finished,” he’d said. 

It was so  _ him,  _ though. Him through Naruto’s eyes. Looking stoic and tired, but definitely loved. “It’s really good.”

Naruto pulled back, laid his book on his lap again. Softly, Naruto’s feet caressed his legs. It sent shivers through his stomach. “I never really stopped drawing you. It’s like my second nature by now.” 

Neither of them dared to linger on that. Instead, they leaned into each other’s touch more. Sasuke closed his laptop and let himself fall into his couch. He stared at Naruto’s hands as they moved. Back in college he’d often found himself watching Naruto too. His movements had been a lot more clumsy, his drawings less perfected. Every single sketch made him feel special, though. One evening, when Naruto had been drawing Sasuke and Sasuke’d been sitting still for it, he had asked Naruto: ‘ _ Why don’t you go to an art academy?”  _ Naruto had laughed it off, at the time.

“You can take a nap. I’ll wake you when I go to bed.” Naruto mumbled, when he noticed Sasuke drifting off. Sasuke didn’t have to be told twice. He focussed on the sound of Naruto’s pencil, on the feeling of Naruto’s legs against his, and slowly his world became dark. 

The next morning he woke up on that same spot, Naruto still against him with his eyes closed. On Naruto’s chest the notebook was laying. There were a few sketches of a sleeping sasuke. Sasuke sat up, it was still quite dark outside. He quickly glanced at his phone; six in the morning. Slowly, he pulled himself away from Naruto’s touch. The cold was almost painful. Being so close to Naruto had made him feel so lonely every time he was alone. Going to his own bedroom at night had him feeling lost. He hated to admit that sleeping next to Naruto, even if it was on the couch, felt so– so much like– like he was complete. 

Like  _ this was it.  _

He walked towards the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. For a second he was afraid that the sound of the machine would wake Naruto, but of course it didn't. Naruto slept like a brick. With his hands around his cup, he walked back towards the couch. He couldn’t stop looking at Naruto. His heart was hammering against his chest. He was so  _ fucked.  _

He sat next to his sleeping best friend, his coffee in one hand, and reached out. He softly caressed Naruto’s hair. The other let out a sleepy sigh.  _ Fuck.  _ He slid his fingers through the blond locks. A touch that Naruto would have easily given him, back in the day. One that he would have never returned. One that he would have pulled away from with explosions in his chest and a lot of cussing. He wondered, for a second, if it would really be that bad if Naruto found out how he felt. He wondered what would happen if they got even closed. 

But no– this was more than he could have wished for. He was going to cherish it. 

Unexpectedly, Naruto’s eyes shot open, almost scared. Sasuke was looking into those big blue eyes. He wanted to pull his hand back when Naruto asked: “Am I late?” 

Sasuke pulled back his hand, shook his head. “It’s still early. Go back to sleep.” 

Naruto stared at him, his cheeks red and his eyes soft. “Okay.” He snuggled into the pillow even more, sighing. “Keep playing with my hair?” 

Oh.  _ Oh.  _

_ Holyshit–  _

He reached out, placed his free hand on Naruto’s hair again. He moved his fingers to scratch Naruto’s head, to slide through those locks, to caress his neck lightly. 

Naruto hummed. “Thanks.” 

* 

On a Saturday evening, when it was already dark outside and Naruto and he had already switched their working clothes for sweatpants, someone rang his bell. He stood up, slightly worried, and Naruto followed him with his eyes. He pushed the button to the intercom. 

“Sasuke! What’s up, we’re going out. You have to come!” 

He frowned. Fucking Suigetsu. “What’s your problem? Did no one tell you phones exist?” 

“Whatever, let me up and get your ass dressed.” 

“What if I–” 

“Let me in, dude, it’s raining and it’s cold.” 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. It wasn’t  _ his  _ idea to go out. He was fine right here, watching a slow movie with Naruto, drinking his favourite beer instead of vodka with whatever. He still buzzed Suigetsu up with a sigh. 

“Prepare for trouble.” He told Naruto. 

“Make that double?” 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Make it triple. My stupid friends want to go out.” 

“Oh, yeah, sure. That sounds like fun.” It did not. He didn’t want to go out. “I haven’t done much in the city anyway. I should.” 

Which is when there was a knock on the door. Sasuke walked towards it with a lot of reluctance, but opened it anyway. Well, he  _ had  _ warned Naruto. Anything that could happen now wasn’t his fault anymore. “Hey dude!” 

“Hm.” Sasuke turned towards the room, allowing Suigetsu to follow him. 

“Haven’t seen you in forever! What has you all ‘happy homebody’? What happened to ‘let’s get fucking drunk Sasuke?’” Sasuke rolled his eyes, but didn’t answer. Nothing he could say would change Suigestu’s thoughts on Naruto living with him anyway. “ _ Oh,”  _ Suigestu whispered with a dumb look on his face. He grinned at Naruto, then back at Sasuke. “That explains a lot actually.” 

“Shut the fuck up.” 

“You’re  _ so  _ getting fucked.”

“No.” he gritted out. “And not a fucking word to him, Suigestu.” 

Luckily, when Suigestu walked towards Naruto, he seemed decent. They introduced themselves excitedly. “So  _ you’re  _ Naruto.”  _ Fuck. Fuck.  _

“Did he tell you about me?” 

“Oh, the world.” Which was true. He had told his new friends all about about Naruto. When he was drunk, sure, or shitfaced. He’d kissed a blond in the club and then he’d cried. He’d cursed, and yelled and then he’d told them all about Naruto. 

They knew way too much. 

“Anyway, let’s go out. Put on some pants, the both of you.” 

This evening couldn’t get any worse. It was fucking  _ raining.  _ Suigetsu was asking Naruto about every single detail of his life, acting flirtatious just to piss Sasuke off, and Naruto wasn’t even telling him off. They were happily chatting away. 

The others were waiting for them inside. They were hoarding a table, their drinks already half empty. Suigetsu obnoxiously introduced Naruto, Sasuke tagged along. Within a moment, they were all laughing and they all had drinks in their hands. Naruto stayed close to him, chatting to just about anybody. He was also downing drinks like it was nobody’s business. When he threw back a particularly strong shot, Karin yelled out to Sasuke: “Damn, Sasuke, you got yourself quite a man!” 

He fell into a nervous silence, Naruto just laughed brightly. “True,” he said confidently. Maybe he didn’t get what Karin was implying. Maybe he was too drunk to care. 

He didn’t get any time to think about it. 

Naruto, after placing his glass on the table, pulled him towards the dancefloor. As soon as they were in the crowd, Naruto started dancing against him. “Are you okay?” He said into his ear, a little too loudly. Sasuke, who was just slightly moving along to the music, nodded. “I like your friends,” Naruto said then. 

“That makes one of us.” 

Naruto laughed, punched his shoulder, then pulled him in. “You’re such a dick.” 

He couldn’t help but move with Naruto now that they were so closed. He felt so buzzed. Naruto was definitely shitfaced though, barely standing straight. 

“Not to you.” Sasuke said, because he was so hopelessly into this man. Because he wanted Naruto to know that he was special. Because he was drunk and honest and–

Naruto laughed, beautifully. “That took a few years too.” He leaned in, laughed against Sasuke’s hair, keeping himself upright by his shoulder. “But hm, you’re fucking good to me.” 

Sasuke felt warm. He felt hot. He danced against Naruto just to do something. Naruto kept on pulling him in, grinding against him, laughing. He was making Sasuke lose his mind. 

He felt like he was a teenager again. 

He let himself lean into Naruto’s excited touch, just for tonight. 

When they got back to their table, Karin was grinning at Sasuke cockily. She’d definitely seen. She smacked him on the shoulder, then turned to Naruto. “You two sure seem close,” She said. The bitch.

Naruto just laughed, his cheeks red. “Yeah, we roomed together in college.” 

Karin nodded. Then, she asked something that Sasuke had been wanting to ask since forever. Something he dropped to her every single time when he’d been shitfaced and sad. The question he’d always been so, so fucking afraid of. 

She did it like it was nothing. 

And he didn’t know if he loved or hated her for it. 

“But you didn’t stay in contact after college, right?” He felt like he couldn’t breath. 

Naruto was still laughing. He was  _ drunk.  _ They weren’t supposed to fucking  _ use  _ Naruto like this. This wasn’t the moment for this, at all. 

“Well– I was sad as fuck when S-Sasuke moved, you know.” He slurred his words, maybe because he was nervous. He was loud about it, but Sasuke wouldn’t mistake it for excitement. Naruto got louder when he was nervous.  _ Drunk,  _ Sasuke kept telling himself. The answer he’d get would be a drunken answer. “But I was so f-fucking afraid to go after him, you know? Because like– I _ really _ liked him and I kind of– gay shock, or fear or whatever– you know. Or well, I thought it was the smart thing or whatever” He laughed loudly. “Pf, I’m not that smart– anyway–” 

Sasuke stared at him. 

_ ‘I really liked him’ _ the words rang inside of his mind loudly. Naruto stared back, and only then he seemed to think about what he’d said. He went wide eyed and then– then he said “What?” cockily. Which was all an act, he knew it was. 

Still he couldn’t help but  _ hate  _ how Naruto had said that. Like it had been easy. Like it wasn’t anything much. Like Sasuke hadn’t dragged himself through the mud trying to get over his own feelings, trying to hide them. 

He didn’t know what to answer. He just turned around, and started walking. 

“Shit,” he heard Naruto curse behind him. Naruto followed him through the club. “Sasuke! Wait the fuck up–” 

Sasuke turned around, glared at his best friend. “I’m going home.” He said. 

Naruto stopped in his tracks, stared at him with big sad eyes. Those eyes did things to him. He ignored that, for now. 

“Do you have your key?” 

“Yeah,” Naruto mumbled. 

“I’ll see you at home.” With that, he walked towards the street, leaving Naruto at the club. He stopped a cap, got in. He watched the city as it flew by, he was getting dizzy. His entire body felt like it was on fire, every single logical thought he had burned. Naruto had liked him, back in college. He felt sick with it. Or maybe that was the alcohol. He didn’t know anymore. 

He wanted Naruto with him to tell him more. He wanted the truth. 

He also wanted to lay on his couch with Naruto, cups of tea in their hands; for everything to stay the same.

He wanted to disappear, for now. 

The next morning he found himself lying on the couch, instead of his bed. The kitchen was smelling like food and coffee, light was already shining though the living room brightly. He sat up, his headache hitting him like a truck. “Fuck,” he cursed. As soon as he did, Naruto walked up to him in silence, placed a bottle of water and an Advil in front of him, then turned back to the kitchen. He watched as Naruto moved through the kitchen. 

The other looked like shit. There were bags underneath his eyes and his hair was a damn mess. He was wearing some sweatpants, but the same shirt he’d been wearing before.

And he wasn’t looking at Sasuke. 

_ Shit.  _ He’d almost forgotten. 

As he sat up, Naruto brought him a plate with eggs and a cup of coffee. He stared at his best friend as he did. Naruto moved back, got his own plate, then stood in the middle of the room, as if lost. 

“You can sit.” Sasuke said, his voice sounding hoarse. 

Naruto did, awkwardly. 

“You look like shit.” Sasuke noted. 

“Sorry,” the other mumbled. “I didn’t sleep.” 

“Idiot.” Sasuke picked up the cup of coffee. He didn’t know if he felt good enough to eat yet. Naruto was making it better, though. He was glad the other hadn’t ran off. That he wasn’t locking himself in his room. 

“I– I think we should talk.” Naruto said shyly. Sasuke stared at him, waiting for him to go on. He sipped his coffee just to distract himself. “I’m so sorry if what I said yesterday made you upset. I thought you knew.” 

“You thought  _ what?”  _ Naruto backed off even more. Sasuke pulled his blanket up as if it could protect him. He didn’t want that. He wanted anything but that distance again.

“That I liked you, back in college. I tried to show you at least.” 

“I– no. How the hell was I supposed to tell?” 

“I caressed your hair and held your hand– I thought– I don’t know, I was confused about how to handle it, but I tried to show you.” 

He  _ had  _ felt loved. He’d also been convinced that he was using Naruto. He’d been convinced that he’d been misusing Naruto’s trust by falling for him. He’d been afraid that Naruto would get that close to just anyone, and that he could be pushed aside without a second thought. 

He’d been so afraid to be pushed away that he’d pushed Naruto away himself. 

“When you stopped replying to me I was fucking terified. I figured that that was your answer to the fact I liked you.” 

“No.” 

Naruto stared at him, surprised. “What?” 

“I didn’t know. I didn’t realize that you liked me.” 

Naruto looked at his hands. “I’m so fucking stupid.” 

Sasuke snorted, sat back against the couch. “Yeah, me too.” 

Naruto, finally, looked at him. Sasuke stared right back. Naruto said: “I’m sorry for not trying harder for you. I should have been honest with you.” 

Sasuke swallowed. “You’re here now.” 

“Do you still want me to be?” 

Sasuke slowly nodded. 

“Let me– I’m not going to make the same mistake twice.” And what was that mistake? Naruto turned to Sasuke, his fingers shivering. Sasuke stared at those hands, usually so strong and calm. “I– I feel the same way I did back then. If you want me to leave, I will. It’s– I’ll do whatever you want.” 

Sasuke stared at the other. His best friend. They’d been– they’d always been everything. They’d always been something else. Maybe, somehow, they’d even been together all this time. Maybe they’d always been inseparable. 

“And–” Naruto continued. “Don’t make a choice just because you feel bad, or whatever. I’ll find a shit room to live in, no problem. Don’t–” 

“I wouldn’t do that.” 

Naruto chuckled. “You’re right.” 

Sasuke nodded, gripping his coffee up tighter, trying to ground himself. Naruto liked him. The man he loved liked him. They could keep on living together, drink coffee in the morning, watch movies in the evening. They could keep on being  _ them.  _

“So?” 

So.  _ So.  _ It was up to him now. Naruto was holding his happiness out to him and he could take it. He could take it however he wanted. “Stay.” 

“Yeah?” 

“And don’t leave again.” 

He got what he wanted faster than he’d expected. Naruto let out a deep breath, after confessing, and then laid down on the couch underneath their blanket. It was as if a weight had fallen off their shoulders. Naruto fidgeted, then asked: “Can I lay against you?” 

Sasuke, overwhelmed by it all, made space for Naruto to lay. They were both tired and a bit smelly. They were hungover and then suddenly they were so– so warm. 

Naruto moved and leaned his back against Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke placed his hand against Naruto’s hip, breathed in deeply. 

“Are you comfortable?” Naruto asked. 

“Yeah…” He whispered. 

Naruto picked up his own cup of coffee, then snuggled closer to Sasuke. They were ignoring their breakfast big time, but they just didn’t want to part. Naruto nervously moved his foot, sliding it against Sasuke’s leg. 

“Nervous?” He asked Naruto, softly. 

Naruto looked at him. “Of course.” 

Sasuke shrugged. 

“You don’t know how long– how much I’ve wanted this. I really want to hold you.” 

Sasuke looked at the empty cup he was holding, sat up and placed it on the floor. Then he said: “Then hold me.” 

Naruto seemed dumb struck. “Are you serious?” 

“If you are.” 

“Of course I fucking am. I’ve never been this serious.” 

Sasuke chuckled. “You never are.” 

“I am about you.” 

“Then get to it.” 

Naruto sat up, stared at Sasuke for a second, and then he grinned. “Asshole,” he said, which was very fair. He leaned in, pushed Sasuke down against the couch, then kissed the other’s jaw. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit disgusting.” 

“I’m used to that by now.” 

“Shut up.” Naruto slid his hand through Sasuke’s hair, kissed his jaw, his chin and then, very softly, his lips. Sasuke felt overwhelmed by the beautiful man on top of him. “I’ve waited for you for so long.” 

Sasuke hummed as he let Naruto caress his cheek. He pulled the other in by the hips, snuggled his nose against Naruto’s neck. “Stay,” he said again. 

“Of course,” Naruto whispered, before pushing their lips together again. Naruto pulled his hair softly. Every move he made seemed one to become closer together. Before he knew it, their skin was touching in every possible spot. Naruto didn’t want to leave a single spot on his body untouched; he caressed his hips, his neck, his lips, his feet. He moaned as if those touches were enough for him to live on. “Sasuke–” 

Sasuke placed his finger against the back of Naruto’s neck, slid it down to his back. “Yeah?” 

Naruto pulled back slightly, then he grinned. “Just glad you’re here.” 

“Idiot.” 

*

It was surprising how little changed. The first days they slept in their own rooms, just to ease into everything. As soon as he got outside of that room, though, Naruto’s hands were all over him. While he was making coffee, Naruto would sneak up to him just to hold his hips, to place small kisses onto his hairline. What changed was how Naruto hurried up while eating breakfast, just so that they could spend five more minutes making out. What had changed was that everything was out in the open, and how calm they both felt about that. 

“Are you my boyfriend?” Naruto asked, blunt as ever, while they were eating some oatmeal on the next wednesday morning. Naruto was still wearing his pajamas, and would slip into a beautiful sweater for work like he did every day. 

Sasuke stared at the stupid man he loved. 

Had the idiot been thinking about that for the last four days?

“Oh course.” 

“Just checkin’” Naruto mumbled. 

It was kind of.. adorable. Sasuke pushed his legs against Naruto’s, held Naruto’s toes with his own through their thick woolen socks. Naruto blushed, smiling at him. “Okay,” he whispered, moving even closer to Naruto so they could feel each other’s warmth. 

“Do you want to come to the event I planned at the museum?” 

Sasuke stared at him, for a while. Naruto wanted the people at his work to meet him? Or did he want to show him the art? He wanted to see what Naruto had been working on, that was for sure. 

“It’s on saturday, but I think you’ll be done at work by then. I really like this artist.” 

“Oh– yeah, sure.” 

“The artist is really interesting. He used to be a street artist, and then he started doing fine arts. Right now he’s, like, doing a big research about how big corporations use street artists for their own profit, and when and why that’s problematic. He’ll be giving a reading about that as well. I hope it’ll be cool.” 

Sasuke realized right there how much Naruto had grown up. He felt so fucking glad that he was allowed to be there for it. Instead of answering, he pulled Naruto into a kiss. Naruto laughed into the kiss, giddy like he often was. Sasuke licked his lovers lips, snuggled their noses together. “I’ll be there.” 

Sasuke was  _ so  _ overdressed. He highly doubted this was the kind of exhibition to which anyone would come in a suit. Then again, he wore a suit on most days. The dark blue suit he was wearing was just a work suit. Maybe he could drop that he’d come straight from work? 

Whatever, Naruto would like it. He hadn’t seen Sasuke leave, because he could sleep in, and Sasuke  _ knew  _ he’d swoon. 

He walked into the museum slowly. He’d never been there before, but he’d walked past a few times. When he got in someone offered him a glass of right away. He took it and walked further into the museum's halls. There was a big space, already full of people watching the artworks. 

Naruto had been right; the artist was interesting. You could see the influences from street art. Paint was mixed with other kinds of spray paint or even dark markers. 

He stood in front of one painting for a while, amazed by the use of colour and different layers. He’d always liked art, but he hadn’t thought he could fit in at an exhibition like this. Not genuinely, at least.

As he was studying the painting, a strong arm wrapped around his hip. He leaned into the touch. Very softly, two lips touched his temple, then Naruto’s warm voice whispered: “Glad you could make it.” 

“Of course.” 

Naruto took his hand and pulled him towards a different part of the room. Sasuke had expected him to. There were a few of Naruto’s colleagues standing there, waving as Naruto walked back their way. Naruto, as he approached them, looked confident. He was wearing a beautiful casual suit, a blue shirt underneath. His eyes stood out amazingly. 

“This is Sasuke,” Naruto said. The colleagues said their names, thanked him for coming. Sasuke nodded at them thankfully. “He’s my boyfriend.” Naruto excitedly announced before kissing Sasuke’s jaw. Then, with one hand still on Sasuke's hip, he checked the time. “Oh shit– I’m going to give the opening speech.” 

Naruto turned to the man who appeared to be the artist, and signed that they were ready to go. Quickly, Naruto leaned in and whispered: “Thank you for coming. I’ll be right back.” His voice, still full of his professionality even when whispering sweet words, sent shivers down Sasuke’s spine. 

Naruto walked through the room towards the small stage. There he quickly fetched a glass of white wine, probably to toast with. The artist followed Naruto on his heels and waited next to the stage. 

A colleague stepped in, towards Sasuke, while still looking at Naruto. 

“Thank you all for coming out today–” Naruto started “I know it was really rainy so I’m glad to see none of you looking like soaked cats.” 

Sasuke softly laughed. 

Naruto's colleague, next to him, did too. Then she said: “He’s really good at this.” 

He nodded. That was his best friend, right there. His boyfriend, now. 

“You must be proud.” 

Sasuke glanced at her, then looked back at Naruto on that stage. The entire room laughed at Naruto’s joke again. “Yeah, I really am.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! 
> 
> You can ask me questions on [Tumblr](https://soft-fics.tumblr.com/) or you can follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/feluijten/) !
> 
> If you want to support me, you can buy me a coffee: [click here for my Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/fluijten) (: 
> 
> Extra's:  
> -The night after the exhibition they sleep together in one room for the first time.  
> -Sasuke really has the hots for a man who knows how to do his job (and he can't help but get on his knees for Naruto after the event ((((: )  
> -Naruto's room turns into an atelier within no time.  
> -Sasuke takes Naruto to meet his parents. It's really awkward at first, until Naruto gives Mikoto a drawing he made of Sasuke and she SWOONS.


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